I remember when I was in secondary (or high) school and my chemistry teacher, Mr Williams, practised something called “peer teaching”.
So, what this would look like is, if I managed to solve a problem or really impress him with my work, he would have me come up to the board, write out how I solved the equation and talk both him and my classmates through my process.
But the reason that he wanted me to do this wasn't because he thought I was a science genius, but because he wanted to:
Check my understanding (or that I didn’t cheat!)
Give the class the opportunity to hear an explanation in language that they could understand and relate to
I say all of this to say that a lot of the time, when it comes to PR, we tend to feel that it’s for people who have “arrived”- making us feel that we we need to wait to:
Become more of an expert
Gain more experience
Jump through a bunch of hoops to prove ourselves before diving in (or further)
But my teacher was calling me to the front of the class to help my classmates, that wasn't an issue or what he was even looking for.
He didn’t wait for me to get a degree or years of experience in his chosen field.
What he wanted was someone who knew just a bit more than his other students and could share it effectively. And that's all you need when it comes to PR too!
In other words, you don't need to wait until you've shared stages with certain people, made more money, increased your followers or your influence.
You just need to be able to share what you already know with the experience that you already have in a way that resonates with editors, podcast hosts and —ultimately, your target audience.
Not sure how? This is what I do, baby!
But don’t just take my word for it. Take these ladies’:
Margaret
“Hi Nina, I finally submitted last night using your structure. She responded at 4:07am to let me know that the TEDx blog copy editor would get in touch when it goes live. So excited!!! Thank you so very much!”
Keli
“Nina is one of the most genuine people I have met, and she oozes so much knowledge and wisdom. Just today, I followed her PR process and landed myself at the doorstep of a national influencer!”
Lindi
“I'm a multipotentialite [based in South Africa]; so before my call with Nina, I was struggling with how to fit all of my passions into one niche and then market myself. If I had continued that way, I think that I would still be lacking brand clarity.
I then never would have come up with my business tag line (mission and vision), and developed my portfolio to the point that I have gotten to now- collaborating with international clients (including Harvard), securing a spot on a government funded mentorship programme, public speaking, exhibiting my work at Decorex Africa and more!”
Want how to become known for your expertise (even if you feel like you haven’t “arrived?”)
I’ll be sharing the art of marketing your current experience, expertise (and more!) at Media Magic, my upcoming 5 day retreat. (Applications open next month)